Check punch



July 16, 1929.

' H.- B. RUGGLES CHECK PUNCH Filed March 22, 1928 Z: U6 2152: I Hard$5011 131133103 attorney Patented July 16, 1929.

HORA'IIG B. RUGGLES, OF WOLLASTON, MAaSSACI-IUSETTS.

annex PUNCH.

Application filed March 22, 1928. Serial No. 283,926.

This invention relates to improvements in check. punches, particularlyto punches adapted to be operated by one hand.

Oneof the objects of the invention is to provide a simple, compact andeflicient check punch especially adapted for use in lunch rooms, cafes,one-man cars and busses, street oarsand other places, where quickservice is an important factor and where it is a decided advantage tohave one hand left entirely free to perform other work while using thepunch.

Another object is to provide a check punch having means for readilyoperating the punching blade by using one hand only, together with meansfor automatically returning the operating mechanism to its initialposition after operating the punch.

A further object is to provide means for assembling the operatingmechanism in a compact housing in aframe and providing the frame withmeans for readily securing the entire structure to a counter, table,desk or other suitable support. 7

In order that the nature of my invention may be readily understood Ihave illustrated certain embodiments of the invention in theaccompanying drawings, in which-'- Figure 1 is a side elevation of apreferred form of my improved check punch.

' Figure 2 is a top plan view. Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line3-3. of Fig. 2. i

Figure 4 is a top plan view with the hood partly removed, showing thepunching plate and its opening adapted to cooperate with the punchingblade.

In the drawings 1 designates a check punch comprising a frame Zhaving abody portienB, from which extend laterally upper and lower arms t and 5respectively, which are spaced apart and adapted to form attachingmembers for securing the check punch to a counter or other fixed support, the'lower arm 5 being provided with a clamping or thumb-screw 6,whereby in co-operation with the'arms e and 5 the check punch 1 may bereadily clamped to the counter or other fixed support. portion 3 isprovided with a rectangular chamber or housing 7 adapted to inclose thepunch operating mechanism, which comprises a slidable, rectangularoperating member Sopenat the top and bottom and the The body 7 extendingbeyond the frameQ, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the inner end wall 9 ofwhich has an inclined inner surface 10 and extends only part way upwardbetween the side walls 11 and 12, leaving thereby an open space 13 abovethe inner end Wall 9. Extending transversely between the side walls 11and 12 and adjacent to the inner end wall 9 is a cross-bar 14, which ispositioned at the bottom of the said walls 11 and 12. e

Located above .the slidable operating member 8 is the punching plate 15provided with a punching opening 15, which extends over theoperatingmember 8 and is Jshaped at its front end 16. Mounted in upper portion ofthe frame 2 one pivot 17 is the punching blade 18, V-shaped in plan andadapted to co-operate with the f-shaped front end 16 of the opening 15in the punching plate 15, in cutting a V- shaped notch in cardboard. orpaper checks placed therebetween. I Extending downwardly from thepunching bladelS is a dependingarm 19 adapted. to extend through theopen space 13 between the side walls 11 and '12 of the operating member8 and between the cross-bar 14 and the inner wall 9, against-theinclined inner surface 10 of which the arm 19 is adapted to rest in itsinoperative position. The depending arm 19 is adapted to co-operatealternately with the crossbar 14 and the inner end wall 9 in causing thepunching blade 18 to move alternately down and then up as the slidableoperating member 8 is first pushed inwardly by the hand of the operatorand then pushed outwardly by a spiral spring 20, mounted at one end on aboss 21 on the inner wall 22 of the chamber 7 and having the other endin contact withthe inner end wall 9, whereby the operating member 8 isquickly. and automatically returned to its initial position.

The upper portion of the frame 2 is formed into a hood 23 extending overthe punching blade 18, having its front end 23 V-shaped in planso as toconform'to the contour of the V-shaped punching blade 18 and adapted toserve as a protective cover therefor,-and having its openend 24 providedwith an inclined edge 2 1 whereby a cardboard or paper check 25 may bereadily passed into position for punching beneath the punching blade 18.The hood 23 may be made detachable, if so desired, in order that thepunching blade 18 may be easily removed for sharpening.

In operation the check punch is secured to a suitable support 26, asshown in Fig. 1, and a check 25 with figures thereon indicating variousamounts, held by the operator in one hand, as shown in Fig. 3, is pushedforward and inserted into the punch at the desired figure through theopen end 24 of the hood 23, the fingers of the operating hand at thesame time contacting with and pushing the outer end of theoperatingmenher 8 by which movement both the check E25 and the operatingmember 8 are pushed forward simultaneously, the former striking andresting at the base of the inclined edge 24 of the open end 2st of thehood 23, while the operating member 8 continues in its travel. As theoperating member 8 slides along in the chamber 7 the cross-bar 1% engages and pushes the depending arm 19 of the punching blade 18, therebycausing the \f-shaped punching blade 18 to swing down upon the check 25and to co-operate with the edge of the V-shaped end 16 of the opening inthe punching plate 15 in cutting a r -shaped notch in the check at theamount desired thereon. Upon withdrawing the pressure of the operatorsfingers from the operating member 8 the spiral spring 20, previouslycompressed by the inward movement of the operating member 8, expands aspressure on the operating member 8 is removed and pushes outward theoperating member 8, the inner wall 9 engaging the depending arm 19 andthus pushing forward this arm, thereby swinging upward the punchingblade 18 and permitting the notched check to be readily withdrawn, aswell as returning the operating member 8 to its initial position.

If so desired, a receptacle may be attached to the frame 2 below theoperating chamber 7 to receive the punched out pieces of checks as theyfall from the punching plate 15.

This device is particularly useful in certain lines of business, as forexample, in lunch rooms and cafeterias, where ordinary punches aregenerally used, which require both hands to operate the punch inpunching a check, while by using this check punch one hand may be usedto serve a customer and the other hand to punch the customers checksimultaneously, thereby greatly facilitating and speeding up service,whiclris a very important factor, especially during rush hours when manycustomers are to be served.

It is evident, therefore, that this check punch is an eilicient time andlabor saving device having a wide range of utility in various lines ofbusiness to which it is adapted. While I have shown a preferredembodiment of my invention it is manifest that various modifications ofthe device can be made that will come within the scope of the invention.

I claim 1. A check punch comprising a frame having mounted therein aslidable operating member, a pivoted punching blade mounted above thesaid operating member and having an arm downwardly extending therefrominto the said operating member, and means carried by the said operatingmember and co-operating with the said arm for control ling alternatelythev down and up movement of and actuating the said punching blade.

2. A check punch comprising a. frame having mounted therein a slidableoperating member, a pivoted punching blade mounted above the saidoperating member and having an arm downwardly extending therefrom intothe said operating member, means carried by the said operating memberand cooperating with the said arm for controlling alternately the downand up movement of and actuating the said punching blade, and resilientmeans for pushing outward and returning the said operating member to itsinitial position and thereby the said punching blade through theoperation of the said controlling and actuating means.

3. A check punch comprising a frame having mounted therein a slidableoperating member, a pivoted punching blade mounted above the saidoperating member and having an arm downwardly extending therefrom intothe said operating. member, a punching blade disposed above the saidoperating member and below the punching blade provided with a punchingopening adapted to .co-operate with the said punching blade, and meanscarried by the said operating member and co-operating with the said armfor. controlling alternately the down and up movement of and actuatingthe said punching blade.

1. A check punch comprising a frame having mounted therein a slidableoperating member, a pivoted punching blade mounted above the saidoperating member and having an arm downwardly extending. therefrom intothe said operating member, a punching plate disposed above the saidoperating member and below, the punching blade provided with a punchingopening opening adapted to co-operate withthe said punching blade, meanscarried by the said operating member and co-operating with the said armfor controlling alternately the down and up movement of and actuatingthe said punching blade, and resilient means for pushing outward andreturning the said operating member to its initial position and therebythe said punching blade through the operating of the said controllingand actuating means.

5. A check punch comprising a frame provided with laterally extendingarms, spaced apart and adapted to co-operate with a thumb-screw in thelower arm in securing the check punch to a fixed support, a slidableoperating member mounted therein, a pivoted punching blade mounted abovethe said operating member and having an arm downwardly extendingtherefrom into the said operating member, and co-operating with the saidarm for controlling alternately the down and up movement of andactuating the said punching blade.

6. A check punch comprising a frame having mounted therein a slidableoperating member disposed within a chamber in the said frame and adaptedto extend outward beyond the said frame, a pivoted punching blademounted above the said operating member and having an am downwardlyextending therefrom into the said operating member, and means carried bythe said operating member and co-operating with the said arm forcontrolling alternately the down and up movement and actuating the saidpunching blade.

7. A check punch comprising a frame, a slidable operating member adaptedto slide within a chamber in the body of the said frame, a punchingplate disposed above the said chamber having a punching opening therein,a punching blade pivotally mounted above the said punching plate andadapted to co-operate with the punching opening in the said plate, anarm downwardly extending from the punching blade between a cross-bartransversely disposed within the said operating member and the innerwall thereof and resilient means disposed between the inner wall of thechamber and the inner wall of the operating member.

8. A'check punch comprising a frame, a slidable operating member adaptedto slide within a chamber inthe body of the said frame, a punching platedisposed above the said chamber having a V-shaped punching openingtherein, a V-shaped punching blade pivotally mounted above the saidpunching plate and adapted to co-operate with the V-shaped punchingopening in the said plate, an arm downwardly extending from the punchingblade between va cross-bar transversely disposed within the saidoperating member and the inner wall thereof,

and resilient means disposed between the inner wall of the chamber andthe inner wall of the operating member.

9.. A check punch comprising a frame, a slidable operating memberadapted to slide within a chamber in the body of the said frame, apunching plate disposed above the said chamber having a punching membertherein, a punching blade pivotally mounted above the said punchingplate and adapted to co-operate with the punching opening in the saidplate, the said slidable operating member being so disposed in the saidchamher as to have its outer end extend beyond the said frame, an armdownwardly extending from the punching blade between a cross-bartransversely disposed within the said operating member and the innerwall thereof, resilient means disposed between the inner wall of thechamber and the inner wall of the operating member, and a hoodsurmounting the said punching plate and punching blade and having itsopen end provided with an inclined edge.

10. A check punch comprising a frame, a slidable operating memberadapted to slide within a chamber in the body of the said frame, thesaid operating member being formed with an open interior and having aninner wall extending part way between the side walls of the operatingmember provided with an inclined inner surface and leaving an open spacethereabove, a crossbar transversely disposed within the operating memberand adjacent to the said in her wall, a punching plate disposed abovethe said chamber having a punching opening therein, a punching bladepivotally mounted above the said punching plate and adapted toco-operate with the punching opening in the said plate, an armclownwardly extending from the punching blade through the open spaceabove the inner wall of the operating member down into the interior ofthe operating member and between the said cross-bar and the inner walland resting in its inoperative position on the HORATIO B. RUGGLES.

